RUSSIA – CHECHNYA
– 19 July 2001

Dr Julian Lewis: May we have a statement from the Foreign Secretary on the Government's attitude to the atrocious behaviour of the Russian army in Chechnya? That army is not merely in combat with guerrillas, but is perpetrating gross human rights abuses against the civilian population. If we cannot have a statement, may we at least have an indication of whether the Prime Minister will take the opportunity, when he meets President Putin, to raise these terrible issues?